Image: from Olena Rohoza X @OlenaRohoza
By Open Chronicle News Desk with Agencies
Russian state media have published allegations claiming that members of the family of Ukraine’s newly appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi, have connections to Russia, including relatives reportedly living in the country.
The claims, reported by the Russian state-run news agency TASS, have not been independently verified. Drapatyi has not publicly responded to the allegations.
Russian reports cite an unnamed law enforcement source
According to TASS, citing an unnamed source described as being within Russian law enforcement, several of Drapatyi’s relatives continue to reside in Russia.
The report alleges that Drapatyi’s father, Vasily Drapatyi, lived for many years in the Siberian city of Surgut.
The unnamed source further claimed that Drapatyi’s father now holds nationalist political views and follows social media pages supportive of former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.
No evidence supporting those claims was presented publicly, and they have not been independently confirmed.
Stepbrother reportedly living in Sochi
The Russian report also alleges that Drapatyi’s stepbrother, identified as Maksym Drapatyi, previously lived in Russia’s Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug before relocating to Sochi, in the Krasnodar region.
Again, no independent confirmation has been provided regarding the residence or activities of the individuals mentioned.
Neither Ukrainian officials nor Drapatyi himself have commented on the reported family connections.
Facebook profile made private
Shortly after assuming his new position, Drapatyi announced on July 24 that his personal Facebook account would become private.
He did not explain the decision, and there has been no indication that the move was related to the reports published by Russian media.
Military leaders and senior government officials frequently restrict access to their social media accounts during wartime because of operational security and personal safety concerns.
A career military officer
Unlike his family background, relatively little personal information about Drapatyi has been made public.
Born on November 21, 1982, in Kamianets-Podilskyi, in Ukraine’s Khmelnytskyi region, he pursued a military career after completing secondary education.
He graduated from the Kharkiv Institute of Armored Forces in 2004 before beginning active service with the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, one of Ukraine’s best-known military formations.
Over the following two decades, Drapatyi held a series of command positions and became one of Ukraine’s most experienced battlefield commanders.
Family life remains largely private
Public information indicates that Drapatyi is married to Yuliia Drapata, who has been described in previous reports as working in creative fields.
The couple have two children, a son named Ivan and a daughter named Anna.
Beyond those basic details, the general has largely kept his family life out of the public spotlight.
Information warfare remains a key front
The publication of personal information concerning senior military commanders comes amid the broader information war accompanying the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, both sides have frequently sought to shape public opinion through competing narratives surrounding military leaders, battlefield developments and political decision-making.
Analysts note that reports involving the personal lives or family backgrounds of senior officials should be treated with caution unless supported by independently verifiable evidence.
At the time of publication, neither Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense nor Mykhailo Drapatyi had issued a statement addressing the allegations circulated by Russian state media.